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US-Cambodians Hold Candle Vigil for Khmer Rouge Victims

21 April 2015

VOA Khmer

About fifty Cambodian-Americans in the Washington, DC area on Friday, April 17, 2015, turned out at the region's main Cambodian Buddhist temple to observe a memorial service and candle vigil for those who died under the Khmer Rouge regime and to mark the 40th anniversary of the notorious takeover of Cambodia by the Khmer Rouge. The vigil was held at Wat Buddhikarama temple, a Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, and organizers say it is the temple's first such memorial service, which also included planting of a cherry tree. Many of the over 15,000 Cambodian-Americans in the Washington, DC area came to the United States as refugees fleeing the terror of the Khmer Rouge genocide. The vigil was also on the eve of the temple's Khmer New Year celebration this weekend. (Sophat Soeung/VOA Khmer)

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1Young Cambodian-Americans take part in a candle vigil during a memorial service for Khmer Rouge victims at the Wat Buddhikaram Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, to mark the 40th anniversary of the takeover of the Khmer Rouge, on Friday, April 17, 2015. (Sophat Soeung/VOA Khmer)

2A candle is seen lit at memorial service for Khmer Rouge victims at the Wat Buddhikaram Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, to mark the 40th anniversary of the takeover of the Khmer Rouge, on Friday, April 17, 2015. (Sophat Soeung/VOA Khmer)

3A memorial stone next to a newly-planted tree at the Wat Buddhikaram Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, marks the 40th anniversary of the takeover of the Khmer Rouge, on Friday, April 17, 2015. (Sophat Soeung/VOA Khmer)

4A memorial stone next to a newly-planted tree at the Wat Buddhikaram Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, marks the 40th anniversary of the takeover of the Khmer Rouge, on Friday, April 17, 2015. (Sophat Soeung/VOA Khmer)

5A newly-planted tree at the Wat Buddhikaram Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, marks the 40th anniversary of the takeover of the Khmer Rouge, on Friday, April 17, 2015. The choice of a cherry tree was also related similar timing of Washington's annual Cherry Blossom festival as well as Khmer New Year in mid-April. (Sophat Soeung/VOA Khmer)

6Cambodian-American buddhists pray for Khmer Rouge victims during a memorial service at the Wat Buddhikaram Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, to mark the 40th anniversary of the takeover of the Khmer Rouge, on Friday, April 17, 2015. (Sophat Soeung/VOA Khmer)

7A Cambodian-American woman attends a Buddhist sermon as part of a memorial service at Wat Buddhikaram Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, to mark the 40th anniversary of the takeover of the Khmer Rouge, on Friday, April 17, 2015. (Sophat Soeung/VOA Khmer)

8Ven. Ouk Chanhan, 55, chief monk of the Wat Buddhikaram Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, on Friday, April 17, 2015. Ven. Ouk Chanhan was among those evacuated in Phnom Penh 40 years ago by the victorious Khmer Rouge forces and was evacuated to Takeo province. He is among the organizers of a special memorial service at the Washington, DC area temple to mark 40 years since Khmer Rouge takeover. (Sophat Soeung/VOA Khmer)

9A monk is seen giving sermons during a memorial service for Khmer Rouge victims at the Wat Buddhikaram Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, to mark the 40th anniversary of the takeover of the Khmer Rouge, on Friday, April 17, 2015. (Sophat Soeung/VOA Khmer)

10Two Cambodian buddhists pay a moment of silence Khmer Rouge victims at a memorial service at the Wat Buddhikaram Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, to mark the 40th anniversary of the takeover of the Khmer Rouge, on Friday, April 17, 2015.

11A Cambodian buddhist listen to sermon at memorial service for Khmer Rouge victims at the Wat Buddhikaram Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, to mark the 40th anniversary of the takeover of the Khmer Rouge, on Friday, April 17, 2015. (Sophat Soeung/VOA Khmer)

12Tun Sovann, President of the Cambodian Buddhist Society, Inc, (right), leads a candle vigil around the main temple during a memorial service for Khmer Rouge victims at the Wat Buddhikaram Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, to mark the 40th anniversary of the takeover of the Khmer Rouge, on Friday, April 17, 2015. (Sophat Soeung/VOA Khmer)

13Tun Sovann, President of the Cambodian Buddhist Society, Inc, (right), leads a candle vigil around the main temple during a memorial service for Khmer Rouge victims at the Wat Buddhikaram Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, to mark the 40th anniversary of the takeover of the Khmer Rouge, on Friday, April 17, 2015. (Sophat Soeung/VOA Khmer)

14Rachel Chung (right), her husband Sambath Chung (lelft) and son Sorya Chung, take part in a candle vigil around the main temple during a memorial service for Khmer Rouge victims at the Wat Buddhikaram Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, to mark the 40th anniversary of the takeover of the Khmer Rouge, on Friday, April 17, 2015. (Sophat Soeung/VOA Khmer)

15Rachel Chung (right), her husband Sambath Chung (lelft) and son Sorya Chung, take part in a candle vigil around the main temple during a memorial service for Khmer Rouge victims at the Wat Buddhikaram Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, to mark the 40th anniversary of the takeover of the Khmer Rouge, on Friday, April 17, 2015. (Sophat Soeung/VOA Khmer)

16Cambodian-Americans take part in a candle vigil during a memorial service for Khmer Rouge victims at the Wat Buddhikaram Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, to mark the 40th anniversary of the takeover of the Khmer Rouge, on Friday, April 17, 2015. (Sophat Soeung/VOA Khmer)

17Lay Ra, 52, from Silver Spring takes part in a candle vigil during a memorial service for Khmer Rouge victims at the Wat Buddhikaram Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, to mark the 40th anniversary of the takeover of the Khmer Rouge, on Friday, April 17, 2015. She tells VOA Khmer that she was forced out of Battambang city on the day the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia 40 years ago. Her family came to the US as refugees in 1983. (Sophat Soeung/VOA Khmer)

18Cambodian-Americans take part in a candle vigil during a memorial service for Khmer Rouge victims at the Wat Buddhikaram Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, to mark the 40th anniversary of the takeover of the Khmer Rouge, on Friday, April 17, 2015. (Sophat Soeung/VOA Khmer)

19Cambodian-Americans pary around candles at a candle vigil during a memorial service for Khmer Rouge victims at the Wat Buddhikaram Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, to mark the 40th anniversary of the takeover of the Khmer Rouge, on Friday, April 17, 2015. (Sophat Soeung/VOA Khmer)

20Cambodian-Americans hold hands around candles at a candle vigil during a memorial service for Khmer Rouge victims at the Wat Buddhikaram Cambodian Buddhist temple in Silver Spring, Maryland, to mark the 40th anniversary of the takeover of the Khmer Rouge, on Friday, April 17, 2015. (Sophat Soeung/VOA Khmer)